Episodes

  • Zack Kaplan on Kill All Immortals

    Zack Kaplan on Kill All Immortals
    Feb 19 2026
    This week, comic shop employees from all over gather in Glendale, California. It’s time for ComicsPRO, the annual event designed to “promote the progress and development of comic book retailers and improve the condition of the comic book industry.” It’s one of our favorite times of the year as we eagerly sit by our computers waiting for announcements from publishers and the good word from our LCS pals. Sadly, we cannot be in person this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring you exclusive information. Thanks to writer Zack Kaplan, who’s on the ground at ComicsPRO, we’re there by proxy. And he’s dishing on his big announcement, extending his partnership with Dark Horse Comics, bringing us the final chapter in Kill All Immortals and two more new titles, Only The Savage Are Left and The Smart Division. Kill All Immortals is a nifty, nasty look at the boot standing on our necks: the billionaire class. The comic imagines a universe where various immortal clans have gobbled up control of the economy, but one is starting to crumble from within. Frey Asvald, daughter of Erik the Red, can no longer sit idly as her family consumes the planet. She wants to help us poor mortals, but in doing so, she exposes herself and others to tremendous violence. And can you really keep your hands clean when attempting global, capital G, Good? On this week's podcast, we discuss the state of comic book retail, a bizarre occurrence involving our local shops, and the anxiety of putting new books into readers' hands. Zack Kaplan gives us the skinny on Kill All Immortals as well as his two new titles at Dark Horse. We dig into our collective billionaire woes and consider one particular violent action committed by Frey in Kill All Immortals Volume One. Kill All Immortals is written by Zack Kaplan, illustrated by Fico Ossio, colored by Thiago Rocha, and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Covers by Oliver Barrett (although the header image above is from variant cover artist Tula Lotay). Make sure you’re following Zack Kaplan on BlueSky, Instagram, and his website. This Week's Sponsors This February, Dave Stevens’s The Rocketeer soars again in a brand-new story written by John Layman, the genius behind the foodie cannibal detective series Chew, and illustrated by Jacob Edgar, who drew Plastic Man: No More and has a very cool J. Bone/Darwyn Cooke style. The new series is called The Rocketeer: The Island. Our skybound hero, Cliff Secord, leads a dangerous search and rescue mission. Who’s he looking for? None other than Amelia Earhart! The first issue crashes into comic book shops on February 25th, courtesy of IDW Publishing. The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube Channel Watch The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics CBCC on The Beat: Why Comics Needs Its Own Criterion Closet CBCC on the Comics Matter Podcast AIPT reports on The Stacks CBCC on Escape the Mojoverse Podcast CBCC on The FAQS Project Podcast Support Your Local Comic Shop: Secret Identity Comics in Chester, England Comic Book Club: Batman: The Court of Owls at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: Blade at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 2/15 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Phil Hester on A Quiet Place Storm Warning

    Phil Hester on A Quiet Place Storm Warning
    Feb 13 2026
    The movie-to-comic path doesn’t always work out, but IDW Publishing is quickly proving itself to be the place to run to with your adaptation. Their latest cinematic comic book sidequel, A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, features script and layouts by industry veteran Phil Hester and pencils and inks by Ryan Kelly. Hester comes from that Alex Toth/Harvey Kurtzman tradition, embracing visuals and having faith that silence can carry as much story as 200 word balloons. A Quiet Place stakes its narrative on silence. If you caught the first film in a theater, you undoubtedly remember the awkwardness of attempting popcorn consumption while Emily Blunt on screen quiveringly descends the basement stairs before OWWWWW! The nail in the foot! One may think removing audible sound from the equation would ruin the experience; however, Phil Hester did just that when he pitched his take to editors, adapting that scene specifically. The stairway nail bit, told as a comic by Phil Hester, proved undeniable. He got the gig, and then he got to work formulating his spin-off characters and plot. As the first film took inspiration from Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, so does his arc, pitting a small town politician against the local fire chief. This time, they’re also sister and brother, adding a dramatic sharpness that can only cut when family is involved. Of course, what does familial pride matter when creatures are raining from the sky? Phil Hester joins the podcast for the first time this week. We discuss the challenges of adapting a cinematic concept to the comic book page, how he always embraces silence, and why Jaws is just the best damn movie ever made. A Quiet Place: Storm Warning #1 arrives in comic book shops from IDW Publishing on March 11th. It's written by Phil Hester, illustrated by Ryan Kelly, colored by Lee Loughridge, lettered and designed by Nathan Widick, and edited by Heather Antos. Make sure you’re following Phil Hester on Bluesky. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! This February, Dave Stevens’s The Rocketeer soars again in a brand-new story written by John Layman, the genius behind the foodie cannibal detective series Chew, and illustrated by Jacob Edgar, who drew Plastic Man: No More and has a very cool J. Bone/Darwyn Cooke style. The new series is called The Rocketeer: The Island. Our skybound hero, Cliff Secord, leads a dangerous search and rescue mission. Who’s he looking for? None other than Amelia Earhart! The first issue crashes into comic book shops on February 25th, courtesy of IDW Publishing. Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube Channel Watch The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics CBCC on the Comics Matter Podcast AIPT reports on The Stacks Support Your Local Comic Shop: Secret Identity Comics in Chester, England Comic Book Club: Batman: The Court of Owls at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: Blade at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 2/15 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Stephanie Williams on Street Sharks

    Stephanie Williams on Street Sharks
    Feb 5 2026
    As far as mantras go, Street Sharks have one about as good as they come. They fight. They bite. They stand for everything right. You can read it on the opening page of each issue of the IDW Publishing series, and as we discuss with writer Stephanie Williams this week, given everything going on in the world, it’s worth repeating every time you crack open the comic. Street Sharks may have begun as a cash grab in the wake of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ success. However, under Stephanie Williams’ direction, in collaboration with artist Ariel Medel, the comic book series distinguishes itself by embracing the Bolton brothers’ chill attitude amid abject horror. They’re Supergirl to TMNT’s Superman. They lived a life before their Krypton exploded. They know what they lost, they lived what they lost, and they still choose to direct their jawesome chompers toward villainy. It's pure superhero comics. You might be thinking, what the Big Slammu are you talking about? Well, you just have to dig into this week’s episode to appreciate the comparison truly. We’re getting deep with Street Sharks this podcast, discussing community, reluctant heroism, and mob mentality with Stephanie Williams. Two weeks ago, our co-host Lisa didn’t know a thing about Street Sharks, but as of today, she’s INVESTED. The first four issues of Street Sharks are now available from IDW Publishing. The fifth issue, concluding the first arc, swims into comic shops on February 18th. Street Sharks is written by Stephanie Williams, illustrated by Ariel Medel, colored by Valentina Pinto, and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry. Also, follow Stephanie Williams on Bluesky, Instagram, and her website. This Week's Sponsors This February, Dave Stevens’s The Rocketeer soars again in a brand-new story written by John Layman, the genius behind the foodie cannibal detective series Chew, and illustrated by Jacob Edgar, who drew Plastic Man: No More and has a very cool J. Bone/Darwyn Cooke style. The new series is called The Rocketeer: The Island. Our skybound hero, Cliff Secord, leads a dangerous search and rescue mission. Who’s he looking for? None other than Amelia Earhart! The first issue crashes into comic book shops on February 25th, courtesy of IDW Publishing. The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube Channel Watch The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics CBCC on the Comics Matter Podcast Support Your Local Comic Shop: Secret Identity Comics in Chester, England Comic Book Club: Batman: The Court of Owls at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: Blade at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 2/15 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    58 mins
  • Angelique Roche on First Freedom - The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth

    Angelique Roche on First Freedom - The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth
    Jan 29 2026
    Friend, put your phone down. Quit doomscrolling. You owe it to yourself and everyone else who came before you. It’s time to get in the fight, and First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth by Angélique Roché, Alvin Epps, Millicent Monroe, and Bex Glendining is a comic designed to inject some serious motivation into your social media-addled, catatonic body. The fight may be new to you, but it's been raging for centuries. That’s not a despairing thought; it’s an activating one, and once you stand on the shoulders of the heroes that came before, you’ll find the perspective required to block the hateful from gaining any more ground than they already have. As a comic book reader, you already have all the tools and knowledge to resist fascism. On this week’s podcast, we chat with journalist, comic creator, and podcaster Angélique Roché. Once approached to write First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth, she threw herself into an intense research phase. We discuss the stress and excitement of the process, and the motivation she secured in telling Dr. Opal Lee’s life story. Juneteenth was only recognized as a national holiday in 2021. It’s the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Day was signed into law in 1983. It never would have happened without Dr. Opal Lee and the lessons she learned from other warriors over her extraordinary lifetime. First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth arrives in comic book shops and bookstores, thanks to Oni Press, on February 10th. Make sure you follow Angélique Roché via her website, Bluesky, and Instagram. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page. Stand with Minnesota Buy Books from Greg Ketter and DreamHaven Books Daniel Warren Johnson on Absolute Batman Annual Comic Book Club: Black Arms to Hold You Up at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: Blade at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 2/15 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    55 mins
  • Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on The Peril of the Brutal Dark

    Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on The Peril of the Brutal Dark
    Jan 22 2026
    Those in the know have been (im)patiently waiting for The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery. Of course, no one has been waiting as long as the comic’s creators, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips. The series originated when Condon was a student, determined to make the whole damn thing himself. Then, after discovering his That Texas Bloodcompatriot, Phillips, they did a draft for their Patreon, and even tried to manifest it into a legitimate Indiana Jones comics project. Their wishful thinking caught the attention of DC editor Chris Conroy, who suggested they make it part of their Vertigo Comics relaunch. Folding The Peril of the Brutal Dark into the iconic imprint solidified the concept and encouraged them to push its noir/adventure core to its highest potential. The comic wears its hardboiled blockbuster influences on its sleeve, while maintaining an aggressive intensity familiar to the readers of Condon and Phillips. That Texas Blood, The Enfield Gang Massacre, these are comics made by folks grown on bloody pop culture, but propelled into thematic realms that are anything but dusty. The Peril of the Brutal Dark is one of ten new titles launching within DC’s new Vertigo imprint, resurrected six years after it was initially put away. The comic gives us an excuse to revisit the importance of Vertigo Comics within the industry when it launched, discuss its legacy, and consider what a new iteration means in an era when “Suggested for Mature Readers” no longer carries the allure it once did. We begin our conversation with Condon and Phillips by talking about their history with Vertigo Comics. How does The Peril of the Brutal Dark fit inside it? How has the comic evolved over the years? What separates their fedora-wearing hero, Ezra Cain, from the whip-cracking nazi-puncher that inspired him? If you think it's not punching nazis, you’re wrong. More nazis get punched, like all should be. The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #1 arrives in comic book shops from DC Comics on 2/25. It's written by Chris Condon, illustrated and colored by Jacob Phillips, and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is Monday, February 2nd. Follow Chris Condon on Bluesky. Follow Jacob Phillips on Blue Sky and Instagram. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part One) The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two) Read The Stampies on GlobalComix Previously on CBCC: Jacob Phillips on Megalopolis Previously on CBCC: Chris Condon on News from the Fallout Previously on CBCC: Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on The Enfield Gang Massacre Previously on CBCC: Jacob Phillip and Sean Phillips Previously on CBCC: Jacob Phillips on Everything Dead and Dying Previously on CBCC: Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on That Texas Blood The Oblivion Bar Comics Fantasy Draft with Brad and Sal Comic Book Club: Black Arms to Hold You Up at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: The Phantom w/Billy Zane Virtual Intro at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 1/25 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Exclusive! Brad Meltzer on Spider-Man/Superman

    Exclusive! Brad Meltzer on Spider-Man/Superman
    Jan 15 2026
    Immediately after we recorded our last conversation with Brad Meltzer, we recorded a secret second episode. He was aching to discuss his next project, but he couldn’t quite let the cat out of the bag until Marvel Comics released its press release. Well, friends, today’s the day. The word is out: Brad Meltzer is writing the main story for the upcoming Spider-Man/Superman crossover. Now, we can release our secret conversation. In this exclusive interview with Brad Meltzer, we discuss what these icons mean to the bestselling author and what he hopes to achieve by bringing them together. Meltzer lavishes praise upon his collaborator, artist Pepe Larraz, and assures us that their story will speak directly to the two unique heroisms Spider-Man and Superman practice. We also consider how their origins might cause friction within a team-up. Our conversation with Brad Meltzer also provides another opportunity to debate those iconic words written by Stan Leein Amazing Fantasy #15: “With great power there must also come great responsibility.” We all know what those words mean, right? Right? Let’s get into it. Spider-Man/Superman #1 will hit comic shops on April 15th. In addition to Brad Meltzer and Pepe Larraz’s story, the comic will feature backup tales by Dan Slott, Marcos Martin, Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, Louise Simonson, Todd Nauck, Joe Kelly, Humberto Ramos, Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, and more. Make sure you head to your local bookstore to get your copy of The Viper, and follow Brad Melzer on Instagram and Bluesky. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part One) The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two) Read The Stampies on GlobalComix Comic Book Club: Black Arms to Hold You Up at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: The Phantom w/Billy Zane Virtual Intro at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 1/25 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    28 mins
  • Dave Chisholm on Is Ted OK

    Dave Chisholm on Is Ted OK
    Jan 14 2026
    No one makes comics like Dave Chisholm, and we don’t allow him to make one without first making a stop at the podcast. His latest, Is Ted OK?, reveals an artist pushing himself to his very limit, built on an incredible run of 2025 books, our favorite Limited Series from last year, Spectrum, and the gnarly haunted horror, Plague House. Not to forget his work on High Strangeness, which is still in process. Chisholm learns something about himself and the medium every time he steps up to his drawing board, allowing the next project to always top the last. Is Ted OK? The title answers itself, but certainly not in the way you expect. Chisholm imagines a dystopian world, where Ted drones away as a graphic designer for a megacorporation owned by the world’s first trillionaire. He’s disconnected from those around him, friendly only with a cat, and plagued by horrendous night terrors. He’s also being watched 24/7 by Sarah, another employee tasked with monitoring his suicidal and homicidal tendencies. She’s concerned, she wants to help, and her first attempt to do so makes Is Ted Ok?’s first issue climax. This week, we welcome Dave Chisholm back on the podcast. We spent six months with him last year on the show, meticulously dissecting Spectrum with his collaborator Rick Quinn. It’s fun to catch up. We discuss how his past work brought him to Is Ted OK? We talk about allowing comics to be comics and making sure that every panel carries story. In fact, we discuss how every element of a comic is a chance to carry story. FOC (Final Order Cutoff) for Is Ted OK? #1 is Monday, February 2nd. The comic will eventually be available at comic shops on February 25th, thanks to Mad Cave Studios. Make sure you get your order in, and follow Dave Chisholm on Instagram and BlueSky. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part One) The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two) Read The Stampies on GlobalComix Previously on CBCC: Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm on Spectrum Previously on CBCC: Dave Chisholm on Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound Comic Book Club: Black Arms to Hold You Up at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: The Phantom w/Billy Zane Virtual Intro at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 1/25 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Brad Meltzer on The Viper

    Brad Meltzer on The Viper
    Jan 7 2026
    When you read The Viper, the new Zig and Nola novel from Brad Meltzer, it doesn’t take long to see how comics inform the author’s creativity. As he says during our conversation, “It’s Superman and Batman. It’s Spider-Man and Wolverine.” Meltzer grew up a comic book kid, and the ideas he found in Marvel Comics and DC Comics remain at the forefront of his imagination. It’s been a minute since he’s played in our favorite medium, having written stellar runs on Green Arrow and Justice League of America, and we can never forget the monumental event that was Identity Crisis. However, he’s never been far from comics, and it's evident to anyone who’s experienced his Ordinary People Change the World series with Chris Eliopoulos and his novels. The Viper, released this week from William Morrow, is Meltzer’s return to the thriller. It’s a zippy, twisty narrative about a dying man who delivers his suit to the funeral home tasked with handling his body, shortly before he’s murdered, advancing his earthly exit. The death quickly reunites Meltzer’s heroes from The Lightning Rod and The Escape Artist, Zig and Nola, his Superman and Batman, and plunges them into a conspiracy with ties to Nola’s past. We got a lot from The Viper, and we bring it all to Brad Melzer on this week’s podcast. We discuss his life as a comic book kid, how he can’t escape comics, and what he might have on the horizon in terms of the four-color medium. Yes, his Ghost Machine collaboration with Geoff Johns and Gene Ha is coming, but there seems to be something else, too. We try to tease the news out of him. Make sure you head to your local bookstore to get your copy of The Viper, and follow Brad Melzer on Instagram and Bluesky. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part One) The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two) Read The Stampies on GlobalComix Comic Book Club: Black Arms to Hold You Up at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Comic Book Film Club: The Phantom w/Billy Zane Virtual Intro at the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on 1/25 Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
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    1 hr and 22 mins